Heaton Lodge Junction

[HeatonLodge40]

Ah thanks much appreciated Ian.

 

Might fit a pot bellied stove - visible if the roofs caved in!

[HeatonLodge40]

Just been informed the steel reinforcing bars go horizontally not vertically. Makes sense to be honest.

oh well 

[iands]

15 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Ah thanks much appreciated Ian.

 

Might fit a pot bellied stove - visible if the roofs caved in!

I've just had a quick look at DaveF's thread on here and if you look at the photos he posted on 13 Feb 2017 and 12 Mar 2017 you will see some photos in the Chaloners Whin area. There is a similar concrete hut visible in some shots that might help, though tantalisingly not the complete hut. The hut in these pictures was actually the Chaloners Whin S&T Lineman's hut rather than use by the P.Way, but they are the same pattern and construction type.

 

I'll keep looking to see if I can find any more detailed pictures.

[BrushType4]

Nice job. The bars did run horizontally but I wouldn't have noticed until it was pointed out.

 

The window sill is missing from the model. Have you got it to add?

[HeatonLodge40]

4 minutes ago, BrushType4 said:

Nice job. The bars did run horizontally but I wouldn't have noticed until it was pointed out.

 

The window sill is missing from the model. Have you got it to add?

Well spotted - I have now!

[HeatonLodge40]

Last couple days has seen the subway tunnel under the 4 tracks being installed and the path from the footbridge that leads to it. 

Pic is of the real location obviously and the first attempts at the above.

 

Remember BMX’s? I used to have a yellow one when I was 12 so can’t miss having one here at HL. 

The subway mouth is a pretty elaborate affair that Allan (Downes) made for me some years ago. I’m modifying his stonework again (I know he’s up there shaking his fist at me) by rolling on a thin layer of DAS over PVA. I’ll carve the stonework once dry.

 

 

[HeatonLodge40]

BMX & the rough positioning of the subway mouth ..

 

The Sun newspaper with the headline ‘Gotcha’ might be familiar to those who remember the Falklands war

[Killybegs]

On 06/03/2019 at 20:32, HeatonLodge40 said:

Just been informed the steel reinforcing bars go horizontally not vertically. Makes sense to be honest.

oh well 

 

It depends on the construction. If these huts were built with precast planks dropped into a frame, fine, if the walls were complete panels then the rebars would go in both directions.

[HeatonLodge40]

Bit of a frustrating and head scratching day.

The scenery is now dropping below track level constantly on the north side which creates an issue in that the angle of the embankment is such it doesn’t leave any room to clear the snap catches on each end of the frames - that is if I tried to use my usual method of polystyrene.

 

So to get the required strength and clear the catches the next couple of sections I figured I’d make out of aluminium sheet. It seems to work after I cut a card template before using a circular saw to cut the aluminium.

 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this project its never pack up before solving a problem. If you do it’s not a good feeling facing it again the next day.

[class27]

Simon

I have made an accidental discovery which may be of some use to you. I have been experimenting with water effects and decided to use clear pva to make some puddles. This worked OK when put on top of varnish, but when I put it directly on to the cinders and ballast it looked fine when wet, but when it dried out it lifted from the material below looking nothing like a puddle, but looking very like a frozen over puddle. I will try to get a picture of the effect, unfortunately I removed the offending material then realised that you are trying to create a winter scene and this may be of some use to you. I have been using your techniques on my very small layout with great success. Whizzing up the static grass in the blender makes a big difference when using it in the applicator. Thanks for that tip 

Steve

[HeatonLodge40]

23 hours ago, class27 said:

Simon

I have made an accidental discovery which may be of some use to you. I have been experimenting with water effects and decided to use clear pva to make some puddles. This worked OK when put on top of varnish, but when I put it directly on to the cinders and ballast it looked fine when wet, but when it dried out it lifted from the material below looking nothing like a puddle, but looking very like a frozen over puddle. I will try to get a picture of the effect, unfortunately I removed the offending material then realised that you are trying to create a winter scene and this may be of some use to you. I have been using your techniques on my very small layout with great success. Whizzing up the static grass in the blender makes a big difference when using it in the applicator. Thanks for that tip 

Steve

Thanks for that Steve I will give that a shot. It’s amazing what you find when you initially think you’ve dropped a clanger.

 

I found out by spilling runny superglue it gives a great damp effect on stonework - plus spray matt varnish on top of static grass (instead of more glue) lets you add another layer of static grass, is another.

Simon 

[HeatonLodge40]

Progress continues..

 

I decided to make the pedestrian subway underneath the 4 tracks completely visible (to see right through) and in doing so created a whole lot of extra work for myself with a multi tool in order to get the flamin subway lining in & avoiding the droppers.

 

Making this tunnel light proof (no light coming through cracks etc) was laborious as was installing the correct corrugated iron lining.

 

However the end of this section is in sight and I’ll be illuminating subway with an interior street type led light.

 

Pics show subway complete with a card frontage of what will be the very first full size building on Heaton Lodge - a set of 3 ex LNWR cottages & a pic of the real location 

 

[freebs]

Fantastic work Simon - I'm going to have to backtrack and catch up with this thread.

[26power]

On 18/03/2019 at 21:55, HeatonLodge40 said:

 

Pics show subway complete with a card frontage of what will be the very first full size building on Heaton Lodge - a set of 3 ex LNWR cottages & a pic of the real location 

 

 

 

Stumbled across this, which is the current situation. 

Hope of interest! 

[HeatonLodge40]

Thanks 26power for that pic..The relay box hut on the right is under construction right now.

 

Bit of a break from modelling last few days to prepare the other side of the mill basement for the imminent arrival of more fiddle yard boards and a truck load of Peco track. I’m going to be doing the fiddle yard in bullhead as Peco don’t offer long crossing in FB.

So spent the last few days fitting LED strip lights so I can see what I’m doing. 

 

There’s going to be 4 fiddle yards - one for each main line - each with 7 roads. 3 fiddle yards will be 50ft long the 4th 35ft. Decided also that each of the 28 trains will return to the same road in the yard - so no shuffling up of trains to make room for another (and enabling automation if I want to sit with a pint and watch trains going by). It does mean a DMU is going to be lonely in a 30ft road but hey ho.

 

A laser level is turning out to be critical since it struck me a few months ago if the two sides of the rectangle aren’t exactly aligned to the mm - then joining up the layout will be impossible. It’s not like it can be moved easily since when complete it’ll weigh about 5 tons. 

As an emergency option I think I’ll also have a number of spare frames/boards of between 10cms to a 

meter long to ‘slot in’ if disaster looms. 

 

 

 

[Mick Bonwick]

 

8 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

(enabling automation if I want to sit with a pint and watch trains going by). 

 

 

More than one, surely, with all those trains over all that distance? 

[APOLLO]

5 Ton layout ? - One for the Guinness book of records surely !!

 

Superb layout though,  Good luck with the build.

 

Brit15

[peach james]

21 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Thanks 26power for that pic..The relay box hut on the right is under construction right now.

 

Bit of a break from modelling last few days to prepare the other side of the mill basement for the imminent arrival of more fiddle yard boards and a truck load of Peco track. I’m going to be doing the fiddle yard in bullhead as Peco don’t offer long crossing in FB.

So spent the last few days fitting LED strip lights so I can see what I’m doing. 

 

There’s going to be 4 fiddle yards - one for each main line - each with 7 roads. 3 fiddle yards will be 50ft long the 4th 35ft. Decided also that each of the 28 trains will return to the same road in the yard - so no shuffling up of trains to make room for another (and enabling automation if I want to sit with a pint and watch trains going by). It does mean a DMU is going to be lonely in a 30ft road but hey ho.

 

A laser level is turning out to be critical since it struck me a few months ago if the two sides of the rectangle aren’t exactly aligned to the mm - then joining up the layout will be impossible. It’s not like it can be moved easily since when complete it’ll weigh about 5 tons. 

As an emergency option I think I’ll also have a number of spare frames/boards of between 10cms to a 

meter long to ‘slot in’ if disaster looms. 

 

 

A couple of thoughts:

 

1:  Control system will dictate automation or not.  So if you are going to DCC the layout, think about which system(s) have the abilities to do what you want.  I presume you will end up with RR&Co as the software, because it is the "easiest" answer, if not the cheapest...  and it allows more than one control system to be connected at once.

 

2.  Running from 1, think about how you are going to divide into detection sections to allow automation early.  Because the wiring depends on it... or at least, the setup of the wiring depends on it.  Jason Shron's home layout has a very little bit about how he designed some blanking plates to allow for future installation of detection sections.  I just bit the bullet early on and spent the money buying the detectors, then wired from them directly.  (see ^, that's why I'd pick early which system)

 

3.  Remember there are some experts on here who would be happy to help with figuring out how the programming should work.  So, for example, actually maximizing the use of a 50' long staging track when some trains are 45' and some are 3' is possible, but it does require some thought !  I know Beast 660666, Two Tone and myself have various degrees of expertise at making RR&Co do what we want, as do other people.    My home layout only uses 1 split track on the 15' long staging yard, because running up the rear produces rather exciting results.

 

4.  Would a set of measuring points and a electronic measuring stick help to get the layout "square" to it's self when/if you move it?  So that if you have targets on opposite sides of the rectangle, you would know if you are going out of square, same for corner to corner measurements.  You would have to make them so that you can measure it when you are setting it up at ER Control as well, because fighting with it when it comes home isn't a great thing either.  (I'd suggest that at home, you mark the floor as to where the legs go if you can)  

 

James

[HeatonLodge40]

Some very good points there thanks. 

I shall look into this in much more detail in the next couple of days.

 

Simon

[HeatonLodge40]

Took a couple of days to break down the whole 26 frames and re-align them with a plumb line and laser. 

I wasn’t happy with a couple of ‘humps’ which could be seen when you look down the 100ft length but re-aligning both vertically and horizontally has sorted these thankfully.

At the same time I refitted the signal gantry which had been repaired after damaging it and wired it up. Happy days..

[HeatonLodge40]

So now I’m back to completing the latest frame which includes the footbridge and subway under the 4 main lines.

 

The footpath up to the footbridge still has some 6ft high spear type fencing probably put in by the LNWR. I couldn’t find anywhere anything that could replicate it in model form so asked PH Designs to come up with an etched kit. Each panel takes half hour to solder but the finished result is well worth it..

[HeatonLodge40]

Still on the footpath..it’s quite a muddy old place so I’ve painted 5 or 6 microscope glass slides a muddy greeny brown then glued them shiny side up to the underside of some card which I’ve already cut holes in.

 

Its just a case of filling in the sides of the puddles with clay and you’re left with what will hopefully turn out to be some very realistic muddy patches of water. 

Tomorrow i’ll finish this path and crack on with infilling all the gaps with polystyrene before giving the lot a coat of brown paint. Then it’s static grass time..

[HeatonLodge40]

Probably suffering from a lack of vitamin D down here in the dungeon -  but it’s all good fun.

 

Anyway lots of recent progress ..on the scenic side I’ve almost finished the ‘mini diorama’ comprising the footbridge and subway which also has all the interior detail. Just the fencing and static grass/trees to add now.

 

The large terraced ex LNWR cottages that are also at this location are being constructed by Peter at Kirtley models.

Allan Downes had originally made a card template for the front of it based on the pics I’d taken of the real thing.

Id love to have a crack at building it myself but just haven’t the time.

 

On the opposite side of the basement the first delivery of Peco track (in the pic) will be enough for about one and a half of the 4 separate fiddle yards, with more boards arriving from White Rose modelworks next week.

 

I’ll begin by soldering droppers to all the points/flexitrack in preparation, and making holes for the Cobalt point motors before I crack on with fiddle yard no 1. 

[ianLMS]

Looking very good and coming along at a really good pace. 

[HeatonLodge40]

Thanks.

 

I do enjoy adding detail, so for the muddy sides of the puddles (up to the footbridge) I used AK interactive aptly named ‘muddy ground’ .

 

The rest of the path is finely sieved ground up earth.

Should finish this board in the next two days then it’s over the other side of the basement to crack on with the fiddle yard